Cobra Aero, LLC — Department of Defense STTR Phase I: AFX20D-TCSO1

Description

Operational security cannot be understated.  The ever-changing face of warfare, particularly in frequent adversarial transition from state to non-state actors has required continual growth in the way our U.S. military approaches conflicts.  With increasing regularity, our front-line teams courageously enter tactical situations that have greater and greater strategic outcomes.    To that point, information that yields an understanding of risks presented within a situation is the foundation of operational security.  This in turn can help yield strategic success.  Therefore, it is the job of the innovators to equip our frontline men and women with technology that ensures they have the information required to make profoundly impactful decisions.  It is the job of the innovators to bring this technology to market at a rate that ensures our military can remain proactive in conflict resolution and not reactive to out-of-band threat vectors.  And it is the job of the innovators to ensure that our warfighters can collect the required information that results in tactically executed, strategic decisions with the least risk presented to their persons.  This understanding is true from the most highly sophisticated sensors to the propulsion systems that provide platform mobility.  Cobra Aero is a company of innovators specializing in building the most capable UAS propulsion systems on the market today enabling new unmanned systems for tomorrow. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are a key enabling technology for intelligence gathering. Information is critical to successfully carrying out mission objectives.  However, the application of any tool that emits a signature, whether acoustic, magnetic, electric, or RF introduces mission risk.  While most emissions require relatively sophisticated detection equipment (and still need to be managed) acoustics can be detected by adversaries with no special equipment and must be addressed in kind.  Cobra Aero is a company whose unique capabilities, staff experience, partnerships, and company vision make it an ideal candidate to bring new technology to the market that reduces the acoustic signature of small, tactical (Group 1-3) UAS. Cobra Aero proposes to address this opportunity from two approaches: The reduction of airborne noise emanating from the exhaust systems of UAS propulsion systems, and likewise the reduction of noise emanated by structures on these same systems. Through its unique abilities, and through its partnerships with Witchita State University and nTopology, we propose an exploratory project that will utilize novel geometries to reduce both airborne and structure borne noise to improve the performance and safety of our warfighters.